[Update] Saraki’s trial begins in CCT despite court injunction

Update: As expected, Senate President, Bukola Saraki’s refrained from appearing at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), although a team of his lawyers represented

 him.

But Saraki’s absence in court was predicated on by advice to him that his presence was not necessary as long as his lawyers could do so.

The Federal Ministry of Justice had filled a 13-count charge against Saraki, alleging perjury in his assess declaration papers.

The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) a day earlier had advised the Senate President to wave sentiments apart and to appear before the Tribunal if only to clear his name.

The allegations are under Section 2 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. The offences are punishable under paragraph nine of the fifth schedule of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, counsels to the Code of Conduct who preferred Saraki to be in court had appealed for a court order to compel his appearance in its next sitting.

Empty dock shows that Saraki is not in court.  If Saraki had appeared, he should be in the box

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The trial of Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki [pictured above] has begun in earnest at the Code of Conduct Tribunal [CCT] premises in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory.

Senator Saraki who was absent at the hearing was represented by his lawyer.

This development is coming despite the fact that the embattled Senate President had obtained an injunction from a Federal High Court in Abuja restraining the Code of Conduct Bureau [CCB] from the trial.

On the other hand, the CCB had requested that Saraki should be brought before it or arrested within two hours for failure to comply.

Saraki had on Wednesday declared the legal action against him as political witch-hunt as was contained in a report published by Elombah.com titled “System is after me because of my stance on corruption – Saraki”.

The chambers of the Code of Conduct Tribunal earlier today as Senate President Bukola Saraki fails to appear for trial over false declaration of assets

In the report, the Senate President has described the alleged falsification of asset declaration against him as a result of desperation to fight him because of his fight against Corruption in the Country.

The Code of Conduct Bureau had slammed a 13-count charge of corruption on the President of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki over false declaration of Asset.

Saraki, while reacting in statement issued, also said that ‎CCB did not have any legal right to take him to Court saying that only Attorney-General of Federation (AGF) has the right to charge him to court.

‎Saraki said, “We also note that anytime you try to fight corruption or insist that the right thing should be done, the system will always come after you. This is another case of desperation to fight Dr. Saraki because of his recent stance on national.

“It should be noted that we do not know on whose authority these charges are filed when the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act clearly indicate that any prosecution must be authorised by an Attorney General and we know the nation last had an AG in May 2015. 

“This is another clear indication that the CCT is acting under influence from outside its domain and therefore ready to bend the rules to achieve this obnoxious objective

Elombah.co is standing by to deliver mmore details as the events unfold…

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